Tube carton from highly nestable integral blanks



TUBE CARTON FROM HIGHLY NESTABLE INTEGRAL BLANKS K. T. BUTTERY Dec. 5, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15,

1/87? 2 01 fiezzlzeifi 7,521 fi er Dec. 5, 1967 BUTTERY 3,356,281

TUBE CARTON FROM HIGHLY NESTABLE INTEGRAL BLANKS Filed Feb. 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent 3,356,281 TUBE CARTON FROM HIGHLY NESTABLE INTEGRAL BLANKS Kenneth T. Buttery, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Brown Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 527,446 4 Claims. (Cl. 22939) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Carton constructed of integral blank having trapezoidal diagonal partition member for cushioning contents, and having flaps and panels so dimensioned and contoured as to provide maximum nesting of adjacent carton blanks in the cutting process.

The present invention relates to cartons for packaging fragile articles, and is more particularly concerned with such a carton which may be assembled from an integral blank so designed that it may be closely nested with a plurality of similar blanks during the process in which the blanks are cut from stock, whereby a substantial economy in material cost may be realized.

Cartons for pack-aging fragile articles such as radio tubes are well known in the art. Such cartons have means incorporated therein, as for example a partition, to restrain the articles from sliding and being jostled about when the articles contained in the cartons are being transported or otherwise moved about. Such restraining means is also effective in permitting articles of different sizes to be packaged in standard size cartons, While still restraining the articles in place. As a result, the cartons may be more or less standardized in size and may still be safely used to contain articles such as radio tubes of various sizes.

The restraining means utilized in the prior art generally comprises a flap hinged to one of the side walls, which flap comprises a proximal glue flap utilized to secure the sides of the carton together, and a distal cushioning flap disposed within the carton for restraining the articles contained therein. Such structures have been found to be suitable for many applications. However, it is sometimes desirable to have a partition flap which extends completely across the diagonal of the carton. Moreover, it is desirable to have a structure which is particularly well adapted to enable the integral blanks used in assembling the carton to nest to a high degree with similar adjacent blanks when they are cut from stock.

It is an object of the invention to provide a carton which may be assembled for an integral blank and which has means provided for restraining fragile articles packed therein. It is a further object to provide a stucture of the type described wherein such restraining means may be positioned across the entire diagonal of the carton. It is still a further object to provide, such a carton prepared from an integral blank which is highly nestable with similar adjacent blanks when the blanks are cut from stock. The accomplishment of the foregoing and additional objects will become more fully apparent hereinafter.

According to the invention, a carton is provided which is adapted for containing fragile articles, and particularly radio tubes, having a partition member hingedly connected to the edge of one of the side walls. The side wall at the other end of the blank is provided at its edge with a glue flap hingedly connected thereto. When the carton is assembled, the glue flap is adhesively affixed to the partition member at the area adjacent to its line of hinged connection with the side wall. This permits the partition member to extend across the entire diagonal of the carton when the carton is completely assembled. The partition member is provided preferably in the form of a trapezoid with converging side walls joined to a terminal edge, thus permitting carton blanks having similar partition flaps to be nested therewith.

The remaining structure of the carton blank is so designed that the bottom end of one side wall has an outer end closure flap hingedly connected thereto, with an arcuate lock flap hingedly connected to the other end of the outer end closure flap. At the top end of the same side wall a recession is provided to assist in manually opening that end of the carton, which recession is provided with a complementary arcuate contour to permit the arcuate flap of another carton to nest therein when the blanks are being cut from stock. A closure for the top end of the carton is hingedly connected to one end of another side wall, the bottom end of that side wall being free of flaps to permit the top closure flap of an adjacent carton to nest therein. The arrangement is such that a plurality of carton blanks may be nested together for cutting out of stock, leaving very little waste material.

The invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a plurality of carton blanks in nested relationship.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fully assembled and closed carton.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a plurality of nested blanks of a modified embodiment of the invention.

, FIG. 5 is a perspective of a fully assembled and closed carton prepared from the blank shown in FIG. 4; and

7 FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention, wherein all the parts are numbered and wherein the same numbers are used to refer to corresponding parts throughout.

Referring to FIG. 1, each carton blank comprises four side walls 1, 2, 3, and 4. Hingedly connected to one end of the side panels, are a bottom outer closure flap 5 and tuck or inner end flaps 6 and 7. Hingedly connected at a score line 8 is a lock flap 9 having an arcuate edge 10. The structure is also provided with lock slits 11. The inner end flaps 6 and 7 are provided with tapered edges 12 and 13 to permit the lock flap 9 to be readily inserted for clos- 1 tom of the carton.

The top of the carton is formed by inner end or tuck flaps 14 and 15 and outer closure flap 16. Hingedly connected to the end of the closure flap 16 is a lock flap 17. Recessions 18 and 19 are provided at the score line dividing the lock flap 17 from the flap 16, the recession defining lateral protuberances 20 and 21 which frictionally engage the sides of the carton and interlock with the tapered edges of the inner end flaps 14 and 15. The top end of the panel 1 is provided with an arcuate finger recession 22 to facilitate opening the top closure flap 16.

The remainder of the blank comprises a glue flap 23 and a partition member 24. The glue flap 23 is shown as being symmetrical, but need not be. The partition mem ber 24 is advantageously provided with transverse scores 25 and 26 to facilitate flexing. The partition member 24 is hingedly connected to the side panel 1 at a score line 27. The length of the partition flap 24 from the score line 27 to the end of the flap should preferably be about equal to the diagonal of the erected carton. The partition member 24 is in the form of a trapezoid defined by the 3- score line 27, converging or tapered side edges 29 and 30, and a terminal edge 28. Transverse scores 25 and 26 are provided to facilitate flexing of the partition member 24.

In order to provide almost perfect nesting of'the carton blank of the invention with adjacent similar blanks when the blanks are being cut out of'stock, certain relationships must exist, as can be seen by referring to the drawings. First, in order that adjacent blanks may be nestedin side to side relationship, there must be no flap on the end of any particular panelhaving a closure flap attached at the other end. For example, referring to FIG. 1, side panel 1 has a closure flap 5 at one end, but no fiap at the other. Similarly, panel 3 has closure flap 16 at one end and n flap at the other. Moreover, in order to provide opposing inner endfiaps, as for example 6 and 7, the end fiaps must'be connected to alernate side walls, as for example 2 and 4respectively. Further, as can be seen, in order to provide end-to-end engagement of one inner end flap, as for example 6, with an adjacent end flap, as for example 14, of an adjacent blank, and in order that the closure flaps 16 and 17 nest perfectly against the end of the panel 3, the sum of the lengths of'the flaps 16' and 17 must be substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the flaps 14 and 6. Moreover, the distance represented'by the sum of the lengths of the closure flap 5 and the lock flap 9' must be equal to the total distance represented by the sum of the lengths of the inner end flaps 6 and 14 and the recession distance 22. When the relationships are as set out above, adjacent flaps oriented in the same direction will nest with almost no waste of material. A furthernesting relationship is accomplished by properly designing the shape and dimensions of the partition member 24' so that the converging ortaperi'ng edges'of' oppositely facing partition members will nest perfectly. In order'for such nestingrelationship to exist, the length of the terminal edge 28 must be substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the inner end flaps on a single panel, as for example flap 6 and flap 14.

The use ofperfect nesting; as shown in FIG. 1 has a dual purpose. Not onlydoesit accomplish a saving in raw material costs, but it also simplifies the cutting blade arrangement. Where the edges of adjacent blanks mate perfectly, as for example the arcuate flap edge and the a'rcuate recess 22, the ends of the inner end flaps 6 and 1'4 and 7" and 15', and-the end of the lock flap 17' and the edge of the side wall 3, the cutting blade arrangement can be greatly simplified, since a single blade may be used'toform engaging edges.

' In erecting the carton of FIGS. '1-3, the partition flap 2-4 is folded over at the score line- 27 against the side panels 1 and' 2'. The glue flap 23 is then folded over against the sidepanel 4 with the glue surface externallypositioned. The carton blank is then folded over at the score line between theside panels 2 and 3 and the glue flap 23 is adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the partition flap 24 immediately adjacent the score line27. This process closes the blank to form a fiat sleeve open at both ends. The cartons occupy very little space in this form and may be so shipped. The cartons are further erected by applying force against both outer edges of the blank, causing the sides to open up to form arectangle with the partition flap diagonally engaging the inside of the carton from one corner to an opposite corner. The bottom tuck flaps 6 and 7' are then folded, the closure flap 5 folded thereover, and the lock flap 9 folded in between the side 3' and the tuck flaps 6 and 7. The edges formed by the slits 11 lock the flap in place. An article such as a vacuum tube may then be inserted into the carton through the top. The article may be insertedon either side of the partition flap, the flap if desired being caused to bow outwardly and provide a resilient force retaining the article in place. The presence of the scores '25 and 26 permitsthe flap to be readily bent to provide a resilient restraining force without damage to the article being placed therein. The top tuck flaps l4 and 15 are then folded over and the upper closure flap 16 folded over the tuck flaps, the lock flap 17 being inserted into the space defined by the side panel 1 and the receding edges of the tuck flaps 14 and 15. The flap is maintained in place both by frictional engagement with the side panels and by lockingengagement of the protuberances 20 and 21 with the edges of the tuck flaps 14 and 15. The fully assembled and closed carton is. shown in FIG. 2. The positioning of the partition flap is more clearly shown in FIG. 3.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 46 is similar in most respects to that shown in FIGS. 1-3. However, in the embodiment of FIGS. 46 the top closure flap 16 is connected to side panel 4, whereas the bottom closure flap 5 isconnected. to side panel 2. The cartons formed from the blank of this embodiment function in precisely the same manner as those of the previous embodiment. Adjacent blanks may be nested in a manner similar to that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 by utilizing the same dimensional relationship set out above, as shown in FIG. 4. The carton may be erected in a manner similar to that described with respect to the carton shown in FIGS. 13, the completely erected and closed carton being shown in FIG. 5, and a cross section showing the positioning of the partition member being shown in FIG. 6.

The present invention provides a carton which is well suited for packaging fragile articles such as radio tubes. A partition flap is provided which, when the carton is erected, is positioned diagonally within the carton and which, when displaced by an article placed within the carton, provides a spring biasing force retaining the article in position regardless of the size of the article. Moreover, the various panels and flaps have been so contoured as to provide an absolute maximum of nesting between adjacent blanks, permitting a great saving in raw material cost. The partition flaps have been provided with tapered walls which, by virtue of this symmetry, provide perfect nesting with the partition flaps of adjacent blanks. The bottom closure flap having an insert flap of circular contour is provided at one end of a side panel and an insert recession having a complementary arcuate contour is provided at the other end of the same panel permitting perfect nesting and overlap of the insert flap and the side panel. The relationship of the remaining flaps has been so established as to permit perfect nesting with similar flaps of adjacent blanks.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, or exact materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton constructed of an integral blank comprising four side walls hingedly connected together, a partition member hingedly connected to the edge of one of said side walls and disposed diagonally within said carton, said partition member being substantially in the form of a symmetrical trapezoid having a base at said hinged connection and sides converging to a terminal edge of smaller length than said base, a glue flap hingedly connected to an edge of another of said side walls and adhesively aflixed to said partition'member, two non-adacent side walls each having a tuck flap hingedly connected at each end thereof, the length of the terminal edge of said partition member being substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the two tuck flaps connected to the ends of each of said side walls, and a closure flap hingedly connected to the end of another side wall having a lock flap adapted to be inserted into the end of said carton thereby closing said carton, the sum of the lengths of said closure flap and its locking flap being substantially equal to the length of the terminal edge of said partition member. whereby said integral blank may be closely nested with adjacent blanks laterally positioned in the same direction with the ends of their tuck flaps in engagement, and whereby a third integral blank may be oppositely nested with the converging sides of its partition member in engagement with the converging sides of the partition members of two other laterally positioned blanks.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein a closure flap is hingedly connected at the end of another of said side walls and has hingedly connected thereto a locking flap having an arcuate end, the opposite end of the side wall to which said closure flap is connected being free of flaps and having an arcuate recess at the central portion of the edge thereof having the same curvature as the arcuate end of said lock flap, the sum of the lengths of said closure flap and said locking flap being substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the pair of tuck flaps connected to any one side wall plus the depth of said arcuate recession, whereby when said integral blanks are laterally nested together the arcuate end of said lock flap of one blank nests in and engages the arcuate recession of another blank.

3. A plurality of integral blanks for forming cartons, said blanks being arranged in closely nested position, at least two of said blanks being in laterally adjacent nesting engagement and oriented in the same direction and at least one of said blanks being oppositely directed and terminally nesting with said first two blanks, each of said blanks comprising four side walls hingedly connected together, a partition member hingedly connected to the edge of one of said side walls and adapted to be disposed diagonally within said carton, said partition member being substantially in the form of a symmetrical trapezoid having a base at said hinged connection and sides converging to a terminal edge of smaller length than said base, a glue flap hingedly connected to an edge of another of said side walls and adapted to be adhesively affixed to said partition member, two non-adjacent side walls each having a tuck flap hingedly connected at each end thereof, the length of the terminal edge of said partition member being substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the two tuck flaps connected to the ends of each of said side walls, and a closure flap hingedly connected to the end of another side wall having a lock flap adapted to be inserted into the end of said carton thereby closing said carton in each of said blanks the sum of the lengths of said closure flap and its lock flap being substantially equal to the length of the terminal edge of said partition member, the ends of the tuck flaps of the laterally arranged blanks being in engagement, the end of said lock flap being in engagement with the end of a corresponding Wall of the adjacent blank, and the third blank being oppositely nested with the converging sides of its partition member in engagement with the converging sides of the partition members of the two laterally positioned blanks.

4. A plurality of integral blanks according to claim 3 wherein in each blank a closure flap is hingedly connected at the end of another of said side walls and has hingedly connected thereto a locking flap having an arcuate end, the opposite end of the side wall to which said closure flap is connected being free of flaps and having an arcuate recess at the central portion of the edge thereof having the same curvature as the arcuate end of said lock flap, the sum of the lengths of said closure flap and said locking flap being substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of the pair of tuck flaps connected to any one side wall plus the depth of said arcuate recession, whereby when said integral blanks are laterally nested together the arcuate end of said lock flap of one blank nests in and engages the arcuate recession of another blank.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,670 6/1953 Currivan 229-38 2,008,949 7/ 1935 Ellsworth 229-38 2,995,238 8/1961 Casselman 229-38 X 3,144,980 8/1964 Larson. 3,194,475 7/ 1965 Ralston 22938 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,111,372 10/1955 France.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Examiner. 

3. A PLURALITY OF INTEGRAL BLANKS FOR FORMING CARTONS, SAID BLANKS BEING ARRANGED IN CLOSELY NESTED POSITION, AT LEAST TWO OF SAID BLANKS BEING IN LATERALLY ADJACENT NESTING ENGAGEMENT AND ORIENTED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID BLANKS BEING OPPOSITELY DIRECTED AND TERMINALLY NESTING WITH SAID FIRST TWO BLANKS, EACH OF SAID BLANKS COMPRISING FOUR SIDE WALLS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOGETHER, A PARTITION MEMBER HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE EDGE OF ONE OF SAID WALLS AND ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED DIAGONALLY WITHIN SAID CARTON, SAID PARTITION MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORM OF A SYMMETRICAL TRAPEZOID HAVING A BASE AT SAID HINGED CONNECTION AND SIDES CONVERGING TO A TERMINAL EDGE OF SMALL LENGTH THAN SAID BASE, A GLUE FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO AN EDGE OF ANOTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND ADAPTED TO BE ADHESIVELY AFFIXED TO SAID PARTITION MEMBER, TWO NON-ADJACENT SIDE WALLS EACH HAVING A TUCK FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTED AT EACH END THEREOF, THE LENGTH OF THE TERMINAL EDGE OF SAID PARTITION MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SUM OF THE LENGTHS OF THE TWO TUCK FLAPS CONNECTED TO THE ENDS OF EACH OF SAID SIDE WALLS, AND A CLOSURE FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE END OF ANOTHER SIDE WALL HAVING A LOCK FLAP ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO THE END OF SAID CARTON THEREBY CLOSING SAID CARTON IN EACH OF SAID BLANKS THE SUM OF THE LENGTH OF SAID CLOSURE FLAP AND ITS LOCK FLAP BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL 